The man who cost the Reds £35million in 2011, faces his old side on Sunday and he says he told his colleagues back in August that Brendan Rodgers could lead the Reds to championship glory, despite most of them doubting his prediction.

“You know, I said from the beginning of the season that I thought they had a great chance of winning the league. I said that from the beginning! The very start! I said to all the lads that they would win it.

“All of them were ifing and butting, but I turned around and said it. They will back me up. From the beginning. I just had a feeling.

"They signed Sturridge who’s a great player as well, and having played with Suarez and knowing what’s he like, having those two together, the way they connect together, they are unbelievable. They look unbeatable."

Rodgers insists his team - who visit West Ham on Sunday before next weekend's massive home match against City - are ready to answer their critics - and silence the chatter which suggests they will choke under pressure.

“There has been all this talk of pressure, but every game we have is pressure because of the expectancy here - not too many clubs are expected to win every game they play home and away.

“We have dealt with pressure to perform, but that’s the nature of how we work, To take that situation and show composure and calmness aligned with aggression. And we’ve done it in big games this season - Everton, Man United, Arsenal, all big pressure games, and we have been amazing in them.”

Saturday's Liverpool transfer stories from other newspapers and websites

Spanish striker Iago Aspas looks set to leave Anfield this summer, having struggled for first-team opportunities.

The 21-year-old joined last summer in a £6million deal from Sevilla but has yet to make a single Premier League start.

And while Rodgers has admitted he wanted to give Alberto more playing time, he insisted he's very much one for the long term.

"It was a signing for the long term, that was the idea. He's a young player who has come in and sampled life at a big club and made a contribution," said Rodgers, speaking to the Liverpool Echo.

"He will stay with the group for the rest of the season and then we will review his development come the summer."

"It's probably been a difficult season for Luis because he hasn't had many opportunities to make an impact. But he needs to keep working. He's still a very young player and he does have quality. It shows you the level of where we are at."